The present invention relates cartridge casing ejection mechanisms for breakable breech-type firearms such as single shot pistols, rifles and shotguns.
In firearms, such as single shot firearms, shotguns and the like, a barrel assembly is provided which includes the barrel for the firearm. The barrel has a receiver end into which the cartridge is manually inserted for firing. After the cartridge has been inserted into the barrel receiver, the barrel assembly is pivotally closed to a breech assembly which includes the breech, firing pin and the like. When the barrel assembly is closed the barrel receiving end abuts the breech for firing. After the firearm is fired, the breech is opened to revel the spent cartridge casing. The casing, for many firearms, must be manually removed with the fingers which can result in burning of the fingers by the hot casing. Further, time is consumed in removing the casing. In shooting competition, the time necessary to remove the casing is time which is lost.
In some firearms there is a casing withdrawal mechanism which, as the barrel assembly is pivoted from the breech, pulls the casing from the barrel receiver to a withdrawn position where the shooter can grasp the casing to remove it from the firearm.
One such firearm is a Thompson(copyright) Contender(copyright) which includes the casing withdrawal mechanism. This mechanism includes a slide which has at one end a finger to engage the cartridge casing. In response to pivoting of the barrel assembly the slide is urged rearwardly which withdraws the casing from the barrel for grasping by the shooter. The speed of withdrawal of the cartridge is related to the speed at which the barrel is pivoted. In no case can the barrel be pivoted fast enough to impart sufficient momentum to the casing to forcefully eject the casing free from the barrel.
It would be advantageous to provide an ejector mechanism which is adapted to throw, in response to pivoting of the barrel assembly, the casing from the barrel to thus dispense with the need for the shooter to manually pull the casing from the barrel receiver. It would be advantageous to provide such an ejector mechanism which can be retrofit in firearms such as a such a Thompson(copyright) Contender(copyright).
There is, therefore, set forth according to the present invention a cartridge ejector for a firearm of the type having a breech assembly and a barrel assembly including a barrel having a receiver end to receive a cartridge and abut the breech assembly when the breech is closed for firing of the firearm. The barrel assembly is adapted to pivot from the breech assembly to open the breech for loading and removing a cartridge casing from the barrel receiver end. Further the cartridge casing includes a rim. The ejector includes a pivot block disposed on the barrel assembly to support the barrel for pivoting motion to open and close the breech. A stock assembly is provided to support the barrel and pivot block for pivoting relative to the breech assembly for opening and closing the breech. Suitable breech locking means are provided for locking the breech closed for firing and unlocking the barrel for pivoting to open the breech. The cartridge Hector has an ejector slide supported by the pivot block for siding motion from a seated position to an eject position, the slide including a finger configured to engage the cartridge casing rim when the casing is seated at the breech end and the slide is at the seated position. Opposite the finger is a catch. A spring disposed between the slide and the pivot block urges the slide from the seated position to the eject position to extend outwardly from the receiver end and a sear is pivotally disposed at the pivot block and has an arm to engage the catch to hold the slide at the seated position against the bias of the spring. A release is moveably disposed in the pivot block to engage and pivot the sear in response to opening of the breech to disengage the arm from the catch to release the slide to snap to the eject position to eject and throw the cartridge casing from the breech.
In one version where the ejector is to be retrofit in a firearm having a withdrawal mechanism, the slide, retainer and release are arranged in an in-line configuration so as to be contained within the pivot block in the former position of the withdrawal mechanism.